The Mexican Navy is to take control of the immigration zone at the Mexico City International Airport (AICM) to combat organized crime, AICM Director Carlos Velázquez Tiscareño announced on Tuesday.
He said criminal elements have operated in the area without scrutiny over a long period of time.
Velázquez said that since February 2022, 1,500 Navy elements have been commissioned to boost security in and around the airport.
The decision to strip the National Immigration Institute (INM) of its overview role at the airport comes in the wake of multiple complaints by human rights groups regarding arbitrary arrests and illegal detentions of Central and South Americans at the airport.
Legal analysts say that even though the Navy will be in charge behind the scenes, to give the appearance of legality, INM officials will probably continue to staff the immigration filters, due to existing laws that give the Interior Ministry (Segob) absolute authority over immigration issues.
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